Congress to Continue Budget Reconciliation Package Negotiations Through October
Tumultuous interparty negotiations over Democrat's $3.5 trillion Budget Reconciliation package, the Build Better Back Act, resulted in the anticipated House vote last week on the $550 billion bipartisan physical infrastructure package being delayed.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was pressured to delay the vote after House Progressives signaled that they would be willing to vote against the standalone infrastructure. Speaker Pelosi has said that they will be working to advance the infrastructure bill and the Reconciliation package throughout October. Progressives believe the infrastructure bill should be coupled with the ambitious social spending plan, the Build Back Better Act, which includes expansion Medicare to included dental benefits and is being advanced via the Budget Reconciliation process.
In the Senate, moderate Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have consistently voiced opposition to the high price tag of the current version of the Build Back Better Act, putting the package at risk of not receiving 50 favorable votes in the Senate. On the Medicare expansion front, Sen. Manchin has taken the position that any new spending needs to be means-tested and believes that the priority should be to stabilize Medicare before pursuing expansion.
While relevant House committees have passed the Build Back Better Act, it still needs to pass the House Rules Committee before heading to the House floor for a vote.
Additionally, the Senate is still working on its version of the Budget Reconciliation package. More clarity regarding the fate of Democrat's Build Back Better Act is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD recently sent a letter to Sen. Manchin to thank him for his thoughtfulness on the issue of Medicare expansion and to reiterate AGD's position opposing Medicare to include dental benefits. AGD hopes that policymakers will realize that these expansion proposals have the potential to undo and reverse decades of progress that dentistry has made in improving and preserving the oral health of our senior citizens.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was pressured to delay the vote after House Progressives signaled that they would be willing to vote against the standalone infrastructure. Speaker Pelosi has said that they will be working to advance the infrastructure bill and the Reconciliation package throughout October. Progressives believe the infrastructure bill should be coupled with the ambitious social spending plan, the Build Back Better Act, which includes expansion Medicare to included dental benefits and is being advanced via the Budget Reconciliation process.
In the Senate, moderate Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have consistently voiced opposition to the high price tag of the current version of the Build Back Better Act, putting the package at risk of not receiving 50 favorable votes in the Senate. On the Medicare expansion front, Sen. Manchin has taken the position that any new spending needs to be means-tested and believes that the priority should be to stabilize Medicare before pursuing expansion.
While relevant House committees have passed the Build Back Better Act, it still needs to pass the House Rules Committee before heading to the House floor for a vote.
Additionally, the Senate is still working on its version of the Budget Reconciliation package. More clarity regarding the fate of Democrat's Build Back Better Act is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Impact on General Dentistry: AGD recently sent a letter to Sen. Manchin to thank him for his thoughtfulness on the issue of Medicare expansion and to reiterate AGD's position opposing Medicare to include dental benefits. AGD hopes that policymakers will realize that these expansion proposals have the potential to undo and reverse decades of progress that dentistry has made in improving and preserving the oral health of our senior citizens.